


The Game

by Sharzdah



Category: The Boys (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Character Study, Drabble, Gen, Superheroes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-27 14:29:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20047585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharzdah/pseuds/Sharzdah
Summary: You play to win the game, no much how much it hurts.Disclaimer: Copyright infringement of any kind was not intended.





	The Game

**Author's Note:**

> Should I be focusing on my other stories? Yes, but then I finally saw The Boys, fell instantly in love and experienced many feelings during that plane hijacking/crash scene.

_Why do you want to be a superhero?_

It was a question asked to her so many times, by so many different people. All shapes and sizes. Ages and sexes. From all over, and she always had an answer to give him. with a smile—that smile was important. Even more than her Wonder Woman-inspired outfit. Sometimes, even more than her powers.

Her answer had many variations, but they were all essentially the same.

_Who doesn't want to be one? The thought of saving those who can't protect themselves? From danger? The exhilarating feeling of knowing that her actions, her powers are used for the great good?_

Another smile. This time with more teeth. Just for the cameras. Just for the audience.

She played to win the game.

Homelander wasn’t the only one of the Seven whose image needed to be pristine.

_Who doesn’t want to be a superhero?_

Saving people. The sense of protection— it was human nature. Everything else, the power, the money, the endorsement, the adoration, it was an added bonus.

Everything else...

They could've saved that plane.

Those people.

Yes, Homelander was right. It was risky. His laser severed the control system, collateral for killing the hijacker. The plane was dropping from the sky with unimaginable speed. But something could have been done.

A part of her wanted to die on that plane. With those people. With that little girl and her doll...wasn't she precious? If she couldn't save them, well she would die with them.

Like a hero.

Like a Queen.

But she didn't. She took hold of Homelander's hand. Her heart screamed no, but her mind. That rational side of her. The self-preserving bastard. No, it wouldn't let her stay behind. It wouldn't let her console those poor souls until the very end.

No, she took that man's hand.

Homeland smiled down at her, knowing that the Queen wasn't ready to drop out of the game.

And deep inside, Queen Maeve knew she wasn't either.


End file.
